Only a few nations, and those of European origin, advance; and yet these think--seem irresistibly compelled to think--such advance to be inevitable, natural, and eternal.
Walter Bagehot: “Only a few nations, and those of European origin, advance; and yet these think--seem irresistibly compelled to…”
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Walter Bagehot
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gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
Bagehot points out that only a select few nations, particularly of European descent, perceive their advancement as a natural and inevitable process.
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I cannot, therefore, join in the full cry against anomalies; in my judgment it may quickly overrun the scent, and so miss what we should be glad to find.
The lessons are good where its primitive assumptions hold, but may be false where those assumptions fail.
I own that I do not entirely sympathise with the horror of these anomalies which haunts some of our best critics.
It is natural that those who by special and admirable culture have come to look at all things upon the artistic side, should start back from these queer peculiarities.





